Overview

This book demonstrates that Albert Camus’ concept of absurdity is best understood when decoupled from what might be called its ontological aspirations. Rather than pretend that absurdity usefully describes ‘the human condition,’ ‘the silence of god,’ ‘the deprivation of transcendence,’ or ‘metaphysical revolt,’ I argue that, for absurdity to be a fruitful idea, it must be approached as a psychological disposition and its basic tenets must be translated into phenomenal and psychological language. The book defines the particular psychological disposition of absurdity by analogizing it with the constructs of ambivalence, integration, conscious resistance, and creativity. Its central contention is that absurdity may be interpreted as a kind of ambivalence and, thus, as an aspect of psychological experience that demands a creative and mature response. Absurdists’ cries of spiritual anguish need not persuade us that the conditions of loss, terror, alienation, and deprivation they describe are objectively ‘real’. If, instead, descriptions of absurdity may be understood as psychological accounts of the powerfully ambivalent impulses toward merger and toward separateness, toward group-immersion and toward subjectivity, then absurd revolt involves recognizing, resisting, and integrating such impulses in order to facilitate mature ethical action. It may be possible, I argue, by examining the dynamics of absurdity, ambivalence, resistance, and creativity, to develop a new grounding for an absurd political morality. This book asks what unique properties and advantages this renewed political morality offers and applies this grounding to some of the political and moral crises of Camus’ time and of our own.

Full Product Details

Author:   Matthew H. Bowker
Publisher:   Lexington Books
Imprint:   Lexington Books
Dimensions:   Width: 15.90cm , Height: 2.00cm , Length: 23.70cm
Weight:   0.445kg
ISBN:  

9780739181362

ISBN 10:   073918136
Pages:   214
Publication Date:   18 December 2013
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
This item will be ordered in for you from one of our suppliers. Upon receipt, we will promptly dispatch it out to you. For in store availability, please contact us.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction Albert Camus' Absurd Absurdity in Moral and Political Philosophy Absurd Confusion An Absurd and Ambivalent World The Organization of this Work Chapter 2: Absurdity in Context Nietzsche's Tragic Ethos Kierkegaard's Absurd Faith Sartre's Existential Approach Samuel Beckett and the Theatre of the Absurd Thomas Nagel's Attitudinal Approach Chapter 3: The Meaning of Absurdity: Albert Camus and his Critics The Meaning of Camus' Absurd The Status of Camus' Absurd Absurd Facts, Data, and Values Chapter 4: Absurdity and Ambivalence Ambivalence in the Early Psychoanalytic Tradition: Bleuler and Freud Ambivalence and Splitting in the Work of Melanie Klein Ambivalence and the Borderline Personality Absurdity as Ambivalence Camus' Absurd Ambivalence, Part 1: Merger Clarity and Unity Loving Mother Nature Jean Grenier's Influence Camus' Absurd Ambivalence, Part II: Selfhood and Autonomy The Three Refusals Chapter 5: Absurdity and Ambivalence in The Stranger The Modern Subject and Kant's Kingdom of Ends Meursault's Taboo Critical Absurdities Chapter 6: Revolt, Resistance, or Rebellion? The Road to Revolte The Is and Ought of the Absurd Revolt and Rebellion in The Rebel Metaphysical Rebellion and the Origins of the Absurd Ideal When Good Rebellions Go Bad: Revolution Chapter 7: A Grounding for an Absurd Political Morality Absurd Borderlands Absurd Responses Splitting Into All or Nothing Ambivalence and the Limitation of Rebellion La Mesure and Moderation Plagues Within and Without Rebellion and Creativity Bad Faith, Good Revolt Chapter 8: Political Theoretical Conclusions Kaliayev and the 'Just' Assassins Camus' Algeria Conclusion References About the Author

Reviews

Bowker's book examines Camus' notion of the absurd in relation to the findings of modern psychoanalytic theory of ambivalence. His reading sets aside the 'ontological' questions most often associated with the absurd-the 'human condition,' 'the silence of god,' 'the deprivation of transcendence,' 'metaphysical revolt'-in favor of an analysis that treats the experience as a 'psychological disposition.' By means of this approach, Bowker succeeds both in overcoming the fruitless logical and epistemological debates about Camus' achievement that have dominated the literature for decades and in opening up a space in which the anthropological and experiential depth of Camus' analysis might be regained. Paradoxically, he also restores the ontological realities he initially sets aside to their rightful place in Camus' thought-'more as overpowering love-object[s] than an unthinkable 'is-ness'.' A thoughtful and engaging book. -- Ron Srigley, Laurentian University of Sudbury

Author Information

Matthew H. Bowker is visiting assistant professor of interdisciplinary studies at Medaille College. He is the author of Rethinking the Politics of Absurdity: Albert Camus, Postmodernity, and the Survival of Innocence.

Tab Content 6

Author Website:  

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

No review item found!

Add your own review!

Countries Available

All regions